Chain and chain-link



(N0 Model.)

H. B. MORRIS.

CHAIN AND GHAIN LINK.

No. 594,959.. Patented Dec 7,1897.-

9 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY B. MORRIS, on MICHIGAN CITY, INDIANA.

CHA IN AND CHAIN-LINK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 594,959, dated December '7, 1897. Application filed August 10, 1897. $erial N0- 64'7,709. (No model.)

Too/ll whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY Bil/foams, a citizen of the United'States, residingat Michigan City, in'the county of La Porte and State of Indiana, have invented certain new. and useful Improvements in Chains and Chain- Links, of which the following is a specification.

According to my present invention I- form a chain of links, each'of which has an eye at each end connected by a shank that passes through one of the eyes and forms a loop to which the next adjacent link of the chain is connected. A chain of this description may be made very economically and expeditiously, and is strong, durable, and ornamental.

In the accompanying drawings Ihave shown the best ways now known to me of carrying out my invention.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved chain. It also shows one of the linkblanks unbent. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the link-blanks. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the completed link. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a modified form of link-blank. Fig. 5 is a perspective View of a link made from the blank shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 isa perspective View of another modification. Fig. 7 is a diagram view illustrating the manner of bending the blank to'form the link. I

It is essential that each link of my improved chain shall be formed with two eyes and an intermediate shank. It is also essential that the shank shall be bent to pass through one of the e'yesto form a loop to which the next adjacent link of the chain is connected. Any other features of construction shown in the drawings, it will therefore be understood, are

not essential so far as the broad features of my invention are concerned, but are shown to illustrate the preferred details of construction and several different ways of embodying my improvements.

The link-blank shown in Fig. 2 is formed with an eye A at one end and an eye B at the opposite end. The middle portion or shank G is narrowed, but it is somewhat wider than the walls of the eyes A'and B and somewhat thinner than these walls, as is clearly illustrated in Fig. 2, the metal being so disposed that the strength of the shank 0 shall be equal approximately to that of the walls of the eyes A and 13., The eye A is tapered, its

outer or widest portion being slightly wider than the middle'portion of the shank, while its inner. portion is just wide enough to permit the passage through it of the opposite end of the link containing the eye B. The exact formation of theeye B is not important, nor is the precise formation of the eye A important, so long as it is. long enough to permit the eye B to pass through it and wide enough at its outer end to accommodate the shank O. The link-blank shown in Figs. 1 and 2 may be made in any suitable way. Preferably it is made in dies from blanks prepared from bars of metal or from wire. The machine which I have invented for the manufacture of such link-blanks and for the making of my improved chain is not herein shown and described, as it forms no part of the subject-matter herein claimed.

In assembling the links of my improved chain the eye A of one link is passed through the eye B of the next link. The eye B of the first-named link is then bent backward and passed through the eye A, the metal being twisted to permit its passage through the long narrow eye A. (See Fig. 7.) When the eye B has been passed through the eye A, the twisted portion of the metal is twisted back to its original shape or plane and the middle portion or shank C is drawn through the eye A to forma loop D. The portions of the metal at the sides of the eye A are then pressed laterally together in orderto decrease the width of the loop where it engages with the eye B of the next link. The eyeA is prevented from, slipping or being drawn too far along the shank (lb'y a transverse rib or projection E.

In assembling the chain the shank is drawn through the eye A until the latter encounters the projection E, when it can be drawn no farther. Where the links are of large size, they may be of malleable cast-iron or caststeel', but where they are small I deem it best to forge them from a bar of iron 0r steel; but

the chain maybe made from other metalswhen desired.

It is not essential that a stop or rib E should i be employed. The chain will be strong and eficientwithout the use of any stop, but I preferto use such a stop in order to provide for all contingencies or any unusual strain to which the chain may be subjected. Instead of forming a rib E on the flat face of the chain stops or projections e at the sides of the shank C may be employed, as shown in Fig. 6. Instead of forming the link from Wire or from metal bar struck up in dies the blank may be formed from sheet metal, as shown in Fig. 4:, being uniform in thickness from end to end, as shown, but preferably formed with a projection or stop 6 to prevent slipping, as before described.

It is obvious that various changes may be made in the form of the links employed in the manufacture of my chain.

My invention consists chiefly in forming a link-blank with an eye at each end and a narrow middle portion which is first bent so that one of the eyes may pass through the other eye to form a loop which is adapted to engage an eye in an adjacent link of the chain.

A link made in accordance with my invention is longer than a link where the blank is of the same length and the two eyes are made to register with each other. In this Way considerable metal is saved in a length of chain. a

I claim as my invention 1. A chain-link having an eye at each end,

and a shank connecting the eyes and passing through one of them.

2. A chain-link having an eye at each end,

and a shank connecting the eyes which is bent to form a loop and to pass through one of the eyes.

3. A chainlink having a wide perforated portion at each end, constituting an eye, and a relatively narrow portion connecting the eyes which is bent to form a loop at right augles to the eyes and to pass through one of the eyes. 4. A chain composed of links each of which has eyes at opposite ends connected by a shank which is bent to pass through one of the eyes of its'own link, and also through an eye of the nextadjacent link.

5. A chain-link having an eye at each end,

and a shank formed with a stop to prevent slipping and passing through one of the eyes.

6. A chain-link having an eye at each end, and a shank of reduced thickness which passes through one of the eyes.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

HENRY l3. MORRIS. \Vitnesses:

ARTHUR N. GITTINGS, HAROLD MORRIS. 

